Recharge cradle for optical information reader and system including such a cradle

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a cradle for wireless power recharging of an optical information reader including a first portion containing a power receiving coil to be charged, the cradle including: i) a first seat adapted to partially house the first portion of the optical information reader, the first seat having a plurality of walls, one of the walls being movable from a first operative position held when the first portion of optical information reader is not inserted in the first seat to a second operative position held when the first portion of the optical information reader is inserted in the first seat; and ii) a power transmitting coil located at the movable wall which is adapted to transmit power to the power receiving coil when the optical information reader is inserted in the first seat and the movable wall is in the second operative position.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a 371 National Stage Application of InternationalApplication No. PCT/IT2017/000113 filed Jun. 5, 2017, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

The present invention relates to a recharge cradle for an opticalinformation reader, as well as a reading system comprising the rechargecradle.

Bar code readers are generally used to read optical information. Inmobile code readers or other battery-operated devices, for example ofthe hand held type, the battery may need to be charged often.Conventionally, this task is performed by placing the reader on acharging cradle or base station in order to provide energy to thebattery when the reader is placed on the charging cradle. The chargingcradle may also function as a receiving system for data sent by thereader (e.g., wirelessly) relating to the optical information read bythe reader, and/or as a sending system that sends data or instructionsto the reader (e.g., from a remote processor-based device). The cradle,usually power supplied by the electrical mains through a cable, alsoacts as a recharging base of the reader. In order to supply current tothe batteries of the reader, the cradle may be provided with electricalcontacts that are coupled with electrical contacts of the reader whenthe latter is placed on the cradle; alternatively current can besupplied from the cradle to the reader via a power transmitting coil inthe cradle that is coupled with a power receiving coil in the reader inorder to inductively transmit power from the cradle to the battery viathe receiving coil. When the reader is hand held for use, and thusremoved from the cradle, the recharging of the batteries is interrupted.

It is an objective of the invention to improve existing systems for theinductive recharge of an optical information reader when inserted into arecharging cradle.

Accordingly, in a first aspect thereof, the invention relates to acradle for inductively recharging an optical information readerincluding a first portion containing a power receiving coil, the cradleincluding:

-   -   a first seat adapted to partially house the first portion of the        optical information reader, the first seat having a plurality of        walls, one of the walls being movable from a first operative        position held when the first portion of the optical information        reader is not inserted in the first seat to a second operative        position held when the first portion of the optical information        reader is inserted in the first seat; and    -   a power transmitting coil located at the movable wall which is        adapted to transmit power to the power receiving coil when the        optical information reader is inserted in the first seat and the        movable wall is in the second operative position.

In a second aspect thereof, the invention relates to a system to chargean optical information reader, the system including:

-   -   the cradle for wireless power recharging the optical information        reader according to the first aspect; and    -   the optical information reader including the first portion to be        partially housed in the first seat of the cradle, the first        portion including the power receiving coil.

Hereinafter in the present description and in the subsequent claims, theexpression “optical information” is used for indicating both an “opticalcode” as better specified below, and optical information stored in anRFID transponder or tag.

An RFID transponder or tag is an electronic component composed of a chipand an antenna. The chip comprises a non-volatile memory containing aunique code. An RFID reader generates an electromagnetic/electric fieldat an excitation frequency for the RFID transponder which, once enteredinto such field, transmits a signal containing the unique code towardsthe RFID reader. An analogous method is used for writing information inthe RFID transponder. In the case of a passive RFID tag, the powersupply is obtained via induction by the electromagnetic/electric field;the active RFID tags are instead fed by a small internal battery. AnRFID tag can have even very small size, such as to permit insertionthereof in labels for commercial products or in credit cards andtickets, so-called “contactless smart cards”

The expression “optical information” is used for indicating anygraphical representation having the function of storing informationcoded by means of suitable combinations of elements of pre-establishedshape, for example square, rectangular or hexagonal elements, darkcoloured (normally black) separated by light coloured elements (spaces,normally white), such as barcodes, stacked codes, i.e. with stacked barsequences, and two-dimensional codes in general, colour codes, etc., aswell as alphanumeric characters and particular shapes or patterns suchas stamps, logos, signatures etc. The expression “optical information”also comprises graphical representations detectable not only in thefield of visible light, but also in the wavelength range comprisedbetween infrared and ultraviolet.

In the optical information readers of the scanning type, a light beam,in particular a laser beam, suitably focused by appropriate optics, ismade to hit a deflection system, generally consisting of a rotating oroscillating mirror, in order to generate one or more scanning linesthrough the optical code. In the optical information readers of theimager type, the entire optical code is simultaneously illuminated. Thelight diffused by the code is collected by suitable optics and conveyedonto a photodetector element, which converts its intensity into anelectrical signal. The distribution of the electrical signal over timeduring the illumination of the optical code by means of the scanningline, or the distribution of the electrical signal in space in case ofilluminating the entire optical code, is indicative of the presence orabsence, as well as relative size and possibly colour, of the elementscomposing the optical code. By means of such electrical signal,appropriately processed, it is therefore possible to acquire the opticalcode and decode the information coded therein.

A hand held optical information reader is generally gun shaped andcomprises a reading head portion provided with a light input and outputwindow and a holdable handle, possibly provided with a trigger-typeactivation push-button and possibly other control push-buttons.

The optical information reader preferably houses, suitably arrangedbetween the head and the handle, the light source, the emitting andreceiving optics, the possible deflection and/or scanning mirrors andthe photodetector, as well as one or more rechargeable batteriesintended for supplying power to the same.

The optical information reader can moreover house electronics forpre-processing the photodetector output signal, electronics for codeacquisition and possibly for decoding the optical code, rechargingcircuits of the batteries, one or more memories, as well as acommunication interface for transferring the electric signal output bythe photodetector or the acquired optical code or also the decodedoptical code, as well as for receiving setting commands and possiblyremote-activation commands.

The optical information reader is associated with a so-called cradle,which in addition to acting as a support base for placing the opticalinformation reader when not in use, can also be used for the collectionof raw or already processed data from the reader and for transferringsuch data to a remote processor, and for transmitting configurationparameters to the reader.

Cradle and optical information reader form a system.

The cradle includes at least a seat, called first seat, in which a firstportion of the optical information reader is partially housed when theoptical information reader is positioned onto the cradle. The first seathas therefore a given geometry and defines one or more walls whichsurround a part of the optical information reader when the latter isinserted in the first seat. The geometry of the seat is thus defined bythe position of its walls. Preferably, the first seat includes a bottomsurface, onto which the first portion of the optical information readerabuts, and one or more lateral walls delimiting the bottom surface andextending from the same. One of the walls of the first seat is a movablewall.

The charging performed by the cradle is a wireless charging. Inductivecharging (also known as wireless charging) uses an electromagnetic fieldto transfer energy between two objects through electromagneticinduction. This is usually done with a charging station (for example, inthis case, the cradle). Energy is sent through an inductive coupling toan electrical device, which can then use that energy to charge batteriesor run the device.

Induction chargers use an induction coil to create an alternatingelectromagnetic field from within a charging base, and a secondinduction coil in the portable device takes power from theelectromagnetic field and converts it back into electric current tocharge the battery. The two induction coils in proximity combine to forman electrical transformer.

This type of charging is known in the art and not further detailed. Inorder to perform such a charging, the optical information readerincludes a power receiving coil and the cradle includes a powertransmitting coil. Power transmitting coil and power receiving coilrepresent the induction coils above described. The power receiving coilis positioned in the first portion of the reader. The power transmittingcoil is housed in a portion of the cradle in proximity to the firstseat, as better detailed below.

The proper alignment of the two coils, power transmitting and powerreceiving coils, one in the reader and one in the cradle, is importantto guarantee an adequate charging efficiency. In order to obtain acorrect positioning of the first portion of the reader, housing thepower receiving coil, with respect to the portion of the cradle, housingthe power transmitting coil, according to the invention, the cradle isprovided with a movable wall connected with the power transmitting coil.

Preferably, in order to obtain a proper coils' alignment, the powerreceiving coil in the optical information reader is kept still, whilethe power transmitting coil, positioned in a portion of the cradle—amovable wall—is moved with respect to the optical information reader toobtain the desired alignment.

The movable wall is apt to be moved from a first operative position heldwhen the first portion of optical information reader is not inserted inthe first seat to a second operative position held when the firstportion of the optical information reader is inserted in the first seat.In other words, the movable wall, with its movement, allows a goodrelative positioning of the two coils for a good efficiency in charging.

The first operative position of the movable wall preferably allows aneasy insertion of the first portion of the optical information readerinto the first seat, while the second operative position preferablyallows a good alignment of the two coils in the movable wall and firstportion.

The movable wall is a wall of the first seat housing the first portionof the reader. The movable wall is preferably one of the lateral wallsof the optical information reader and it is incident to the bottomsurface of the first seat. Thus, moving the movable wall from the firstto the second position changes the geometry of the first seat.Preferably, in the second position, the movable wall is closer to theoptical information reader, and in particular preferably to the powerreceiving coil, than in the first position. The movement from the firstto the second operative position of the movable wall may be seen as amovement towards the optical information reader.

Preferably, the movement from the first to the second operative positionis substantially “automatic”, that is, it takes place due to theinsertion of the first portion of the reader into the first seat withoutadditional tasks or actions to be performed by a user. For example, themovement from the first to the second operative position could be causedby the weight of the reader.

With this solution in which a movable wall is used to align the twocoils, the alignment of the coils is greatly facilitated without relyingon tight mechanical tolerances that ultimately lead to a more difficultinsertion of the optical information reader into and extraction of theoptical information reader from the first seat.

In the first or in the second aspect, the invention may include inalternative or in addition, one or more of the followingcharacteristics.

Preferably, in its second operative position, the movable wall of thecradle may be adapted to be in contact with the first portion of theoptical information reader including the power receiving coil. Morepreferably, the movable wall of the cradle is adapted to be aligned witha part the first portion of the optical information reader housing thepower receiving coil. For example, in the second operative position, thereceiver and power transmitting coil are substantially in abutment. Thisprovision may further improve energy coupling between the two coils.

Advantageously, one of the first portion of the optical informationreader and the movable wall may include a magnet and the other of thefirst portion of the optical information reader and the movable wall mayinclude a metal element so that the movement of the movable wall fromthe first to the second operative position is due to magneticattraction. Magnetic attraction may make the reaching of the secondoperative position automatic upon insertion of the optical informationreader into the first seat, lessening the need for manual alignment, andproviding an additional retaining force (the magnetic attractive forcekeeping the movable wall attached to the first portion of the opticalinformation reader) that reduces the risk of the optical informationreader losing its correct position when the operator's hand is notsupporting the reader in its charging position any longer.

Preferably, the movement from the first to the second operative positionmay include a rotation of the movable wall, or a translation of themovable wall within the first seat, or a combination thereof. Themovement between the first and second operative position of the movablewall may be a rotation, for example the movable wall may rotate aroundan axis so that it can change an angle formed between the movable walland a base portion of the cradle, or a translation, in which the movablewall shifts within the first seat. The movement of the movable wall mayalso be a roto-translation.

Advantageously, the first seat may include a bottom surface to which thefirst portion of the optical information reader is in abutment when theoptical information reader is inserted into the first seat and whereinthe movable wall is rotatable around an axis parallel to the bottomsurface. An angle formed between the movable wall and the bottom surfacemoving from the first to the second operative position changesamplitude. In the first operative position the angle is wider, so thatinsertion of the optical information reader into the first seat isrelatively easy, while the angle is narrower in the second operativeposition, so that the movable wall “restricts” movements of the opticalinformation reader while charging. This provision gives to the firstseat a tapered or funnel shape towards the bottom surface when themovable wall is in its first operative position, which greatlyfacilitates insertion of the optical information reader into the firstseat.

The movable wall may be hinged to the cradle, which the simplestactuation mechanism to perform the movement from the first to the secondoperative position.

Preferably, the cradle may include: a base plate on which the opticalinformation reader is apt to be positioned, the base plate including thefirst seat; a slidable element connected to the base plate so that thebase plate and the slidable element move from a first unloaded positionwhen the optical information reader is not on the cradle to a secondloaded position when the optical information reader is on the cradle;and an actuator adapted to rotate or translate the movable wall, theslidable element being connected to the actuator so that the movablewall is rotated or translated from the first to the second operativeposition when the base plate and slidable element are moved from thefirst unloaded position to the second loaded position. The weight of theoptical information reader may be the trigger for the movement of themovable wall from the first to the second operative position. In orderto use the weight of the reader as the trigger for the movement, a baseplate, such as a “tray-like” element, is provided to partially house theoptical information reader and move according to the weight of thelatter. The base plate is connected to a slidable element and anactuator which are preferably actuated when the base plate is moved.When the reader is not positioned on the base plate of the cradle, thebase plate is in a “rest” or unloaded position: the slidable element isunloaded and the actuator connected to the movable wall is not actuated.When the reader is positioned onto the cradle, that is, onto the baseplate, its weight causes the base plate and the slidable element to moveto the loaded position and actuate the actuator, which in turn moves themovable wall to the second operative position. In this way, a retainingforce moving the movable wall is generated with purely mechanical means,for example without the need of any magnetic elements; in someenvironments the presence of magnets could interfere with equipmentnearby or, for high inductive currents, with the energy transfermechanism between the coils. The slidable element may also include aspring to bring back the sliding element to its unloaded position whenthe reader is removed from the base plate. Advantageously, the range ofthe movement of the base plate and of the slidable element may becalibrated depending on the weight of the optical information reader.Therefore, the base plate and slidable element may have differentresponses depending on the model of the reader.

More preferably, the slidable element can be realized as a lever slidingin a first inclined hollow seat, the lever ending with a pin constrainedto move along a second inclined hollow seat. The relative inclination ofthe first and second hollow seats is for example chosen so as to producea force component in the direction of sliding of the second hollow seatsufficient to move the actuator. The pin may be made to protrudeexternally to the cradle so as to realize a hand actuatable lever. Thisprovision allows to manually operate the actuator when the cradle ismounted in a vertical or nearly vertical position where the forcecomponent along the second sliding direction is not sufficient to movethe actuator.

Preferably, the cradle may include a snap in element, said snap inelement being connected to the movable wall, the movement from the firstto the second operative position of the movable wall being triggered byan actuation of the snap in element. A portion or a part of the snap inelement may be positioned in proximity or at the first seat, so that itprotrudes at least partially in the first seat. In the absence of theoptical information reader from the first seat, the snap in element andthe spring are in a resting position. When the optical informationreader is inserted into the seat, the portion or part of the snap inelement which was protruding inside the first seat is pushed away due tothe presence of the optical information reader's body. The snap inelement is pushed towards the optical information reader to apply apressure against the same. This pressure allows stabilizing the positionof the optical information reader inside the first seat in case thecradle is positioned vertically or tilted with respect to a horizontalplane.

More preferably, the snap in element includes a spring and a lever.

The spring may be loaded when the reader is inserted into the cradle, soas to release energy when the optical information reader is lifted fromits rest position and thus facilitate removal. At the beginning of theremoval, the reader offers resistance due to the spring's pressure,however as soon as a given position of the spring is overcome, thespring brings back the movable wall to the first operative position.

The cradle may include one or more proximity sensors to detect thevicinity of the optical information reader and an electrically drivenactuator connected to the movable wall, the proximity sensor being aptto send signals to the electrically driven actuator to initiate themovement of the movable wall from the first to the second operativeposition when the optical information reader approaches the cradle.

The proximity sensors may be chosen among the group of: Hall effectsensors, optical sensors, micro switches, inductive and magneticsensors.

The cradle may include a capacitive sensor for detecting the presence ofa user's hand; the hand presence sensor is preferably placed in aportion of the cradle facing the reader handle portion. For example, thecradle may include a first and a second seat to partially house a firstand a second portion of the optical information reader, and thecapacitive sensor is located preferably approximately midway between thefirst and second seat.

The cradle may include a reader placement detection system configured tocompare signals from the one or more proximity sensors and/or the handpresence sensor and report a presence, proper docking, or impendingundocking of the reader based on such comparison.

The movable wall may be connected to a spring mechanism, said springmechanism being in a first and second stable configuration in both thefirst and second operative positions of the movable wall, said springmechanism reaching a loaded configuration where it is biased to returnto the first or second stable configuration, said loaded configurationbeing reached when moving from the first to the second stableconfigurations, or vice-versa, due to the movable wall change from thefirst to the second operative position, or vice-versa. In this way, theoptical information reader when docketed experiences a pressure causedby the movable wall pressed by the spring towards the first portion.This pressure keeps the first portion of the reader inserted in thefirst seat. When the optical information reader is removed from thefirst seat, a first resistance is present, and then the undocking isfacilitated by the spring action which pulls the movable wall back toits first operative position. The movement of the spring mechanism ispreferably as follows: the spring biases the movable wall in the firstoperative position. When the movable wall is moved into the secondoperative position, the spring has to overcome in its trajectory aresistance point. In the trajectory up to this resistance point, thespring pushes the wall back to its first position. After the resistancepoint, the spring pushes the wall towards the second position. When thesecond position is reached, the spring keeps the movable wall in thesecond position and thus for example it applies a pressure on theoptical information reader to keep the latter in place.

The movable wall may include a hook element and the optical informationreader a corresponding concavity, so that in the second position of themovable wall, the hook is housed in the concavity to stabilize acoupling between the power transmitting and power receiving coils. Themovable wall keeps the reader in place, in particular in case ofvertically oriented or tilted cradle. The hook may have any form, aswell as the concavity.

The cradle may include a second seat to house a second portion of theoptical information reader, wherein the second portion may be a portionof a handle of the optical information reader, and the first portion isa portion of the head of the optical information reader. The presence oftwo seats is helpful to avoid movements of the reader when located inthe cradle, minimizing the movement of the optical information reader,housing both its extremities.

The second seat may include a plurality of walls, one of the walls ofthe second seat being movable from a first operative position when thesecond portion of the optical information reader is not inserted in thesecond seat to a second operative position when the second portion ofthe optical information reader is inserted in the second seat. Thesecond movable wall preferably does not include any coil. This secondmovable wall is preferably used to avoid or minimize movements of theoptical information reader when docketed, in particular in verticallypositioned cradles.

The second seat may comprise a second slidable element connected to thebase plate so that the second slidable element moves from a firstunloaded position when the optical information reader is not on thecradle to a second loaded position when the optical information readeris on the cradle; and a second actuator adapted to rotate or translatethe second portion movable wall, the second slidable element beingconnected to the second actuator so that the second movable wall isrotated or translated from the first to the second operative positionwhen the second slidable element is moved from the first unloadedposition into the second loaded position. In a single movement, that is,the docking of the reader onto the base plate, both first and secondmovable walls move from the first to the second operative position dueto the weight of the reader acting on the base plate and first andsecond slidable elements. Preferably, the first and second slidableelements may coincide and form a single element.

This second slidable element can be realized as the first slidableelement above described.

The first and/or second seat may include a magnet or a metallic elementand the first and/or second portion of the optical information readermay include a corresponding metallic element or magnet. The reader wheninserted in the first and/or second seat is substantially “blocked”therein by the magnetic attraction. Further magnets and/or metallicelements may be present in other portions of the cradle and/or opticalinformation reader. The number of magnets and metallic elements dependson the desired stability of the optical information reader in the cradle(for example, if the cradle needs to be moved often or it is subjectedto impacts, then an higher stability and thus higher magnetic couplingis desired).

The cradle may include an electrically driven actuator to move themovable wall from the first to the second operative position orvice-versa. More preferably, the electrically driven actuator is chosenamong the group comprising an electro-magnet, an electric motor, astepper linear motor. The movable wall may be moved from the first tothe second operative position—or vice-versa—not only thanks to theweight of the reader, but also by means of an electrically drivenactuator. The electrically driven actuator may be energized for exampleby signals sent by a sensor or by signals sent by a control unit.

The cradle may include a control system adapted to detect the presenceor absence of the first portion of the optical information reader in thefirst seat. More preferably, the control system may be adapted to detectthe presence or absence of the second portion in the second seat. Thecontrol system may include a plurality of sensors and a control unit.The control unit may elaborate the signals coming from the sensors.Those signals may indicate the presence or absence of an object in adetermined location of the cradle. Each sensor therefore preferablycontrols a given volume of the cradle. The control system may emitwarning or output information, for example by means of lights oracoustic devices, to show the status of the cradle and in case anomaliesare present.

The second seat may be adapted to partially house a second portion ofthe optical information reader, and the control system may be adapted todetect the presence or absence of the second portion of the opticalinformation reader in the second seat.

In a third aspect thereof, the invention lies in a cradle for an opticalinformation reader, the optical information reader including a firstportion having a power receiving coil, the cradle including:

-   -   a stationary base part including a wall housing a power        transmitting coil which is adapted to inductively transmit power        to the power receiving coil when the first portion of the        optical information reader is inserted in a first seat;    -   the first seat apt to partially house the first portion of the        optical information reader, the first seat having a plurality of        seat walls;    -   a base plate comprising the first seat, the base plate being        adapted to move with respect to the stationary base part from a        first operative position held when the optical information        reader is not inserted in the seat to a second operative        position held when the optical information reader is inserted in        the first seat, said movement from the first to the second        operative position being caused by the action of the weight of        the optical information reader on the base plate; and    -   a biasing element movable from an unloaded position when the        optical information reader is not inserted in the first seat to        a loaded position when the optical information reader is        inserted in the first seat, and for restoring the base plate to        its first operative position when the optical information reader        is lifted from the first seat.

In a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a system of a cradle and anoptical information reader, the system including:

-   -   the optical information reader including a first portion        including a power receiving coil; and    -   the cradle for wireless recharge of the optical information        reader, according to the third aspect.

Differently from the first and the second aspect, in this case a baseplate which supports the optical information reader when docketed, baseplate which includes a first seat, moves in order to better align thepower transmitting and the power receiving coils, while the powertransmitting coil remains still with respect to the cradle. In otherwords, in this aspect, the optical information reader housing the powerreceiving coil moves when the optical information reader is positionedin the first seat in order to align with the power transmitting coil,which remains stationary. The movement of the base plate including thefirst seat is triggered by the weight of the reader. For example, thebase plate has a “tray-like” form and it can shift downwards or it mayrotate, or it may perform a roto-translation when the reader ispositioned onto it. The weight of the reader causes the base plate tomove, for example to shift of a given amount or to rotate of a givenangle. The range of the movements can be for example calibrated andselected depending on the optical information reader used (e.g. it maydepends on the reader's weight) and whether the cradle is to bepositioned vertically or horizontally.

The base plate has therefore two different positions. The two positionsare as follows: a first position which is held when the opticalinformation reader is away from the cradle, and a second position heldwhen the optical information reader is on the cradle. When the opticalinformation reader is further removed from the cradle, the base plate isbiased in such a way that the base plate returns automatically to thefirst position. In other words, the base plate is preferably biased togo back to its first position by means of a biasing element.

Preferably, the base plate is rotatably connected to the cradle.Alternatively or in addition, the base plate is slidably connected tothe cradle. Being the movement from the first to the second position dueto the weight of the reader, preferably the movement is “simple” and itis purely mechanical.

More preferably, the slidable connection is a four bar linkagemechanism. The movement of the base plate is thus preferably a rotation,a translation or a roto-translation.

Preferably, the first seat is apt to partially house a head portion ofthe optical information reader. Due to the geometry of the reader, whichis generally “bigger” at the head portion, so there is the necessaryvolume to house the coil, preferably the power receiving coil is housedon the head of the reader and thus at least a portion of the head ishoused in the first seat to be in proximity of the power transmittingcoil housed in a wall of the first seat.

More preferably, the base plate includes a second seat apt to partiallyhouse a handle portion of the optical information reader. Preferably,the cradle includes a second seat to partially house a second portion ofthe optical information reader. Preferably this second portion is an endportion of the reader opposite to the head. This configuration ispreferred when the cradle is positioned vertically or in a tiltedfashion, so that the reader cannot slip outside the cradle whenpositioned in the seats.

Preferably, the wall housing the power receiving coil is located at aboundary of the first seat. In order to properly align the receiver andpower transmitting coils, the wall housing the power transmitting coilis at the boundary of the first seat which partially houses the head ofthe reader where the power receiving coil is located.

More preferably, the wall housing the power receiving coil is ageometrical continuation of one or more seat wall of the first seat.Movements of the base plate including the seat still keep thisgeometrical continuation due to the limited extension of the movement.

The invention will be now described with non-limiting reference to theappended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a lateral view of a system of cradle and optical informationreader realized according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a lateral view of a first embodiment of the system of FIG. 1in a first operative position;

FIG. 3 is a lateral view of a first embodiment of the system of FIG. 2in a second operative position;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a first embodiment of the system of FIG. 2 or3 in the second operative position;

FIG. 5 is a lateral view of a second embodiment of the system accordingto the invention in a first operative position;

FIG. 6 is a lateral view of the second embodiment of the system of FIG.5 in a second operative position;

FIG. 7a is a lateral view of a first variant of the second embodiment ofthe system of FIGS. 5 and 6 in a first configuration;

FIG. 7b is a lateral view of the first variant of FIG. 7a in a secondconfiguration;

FIG. 8 is a lateral view of a second variant of the second embodiment ofthe system of FIGS. 5 and 6 in a second operative position;

FIG. 9 is a lateral view of a third embodiment of the system accordingto the invention in a first operative position;

FIG. 10 is a lateral view of the third embodiment of the system of FIG.9 in a second operative position;

FIG. 11 is a lateral view of a first variant of the third embodiment ofthe system of FIGS. 9 and 10 in a second operative position;

FIG. 12 is a lateral view of a system according to a fourth embodimentof system of the invention;

FIG. 13 is a lateral view of a fourth embodiment of the system of FIG.12 in a first operative position;

FIG. 14 is a lateral view of the fourth embodiment of the system ofFIGS. 12 and 13 in a second operative position;

FIG. 15 is a lateral view of a first variant of the fourth embodiment ofthe system of FIGS. 12-14;

FIG. 16 is a lateral view of a second variant of the fourth embodimentof the system of FIGS. 12-14;

FIG. 17 is a lateral view of a component of the fourth embodiment of thesystem of FIGS. 12-16;

FIG. 18 is a lateral view of a portion of a fifth embodiment of thesystem of the invention in a first operative position;

FIG. 19 is a lateral view of a portion of a fifth embodiment of thesystem of FIG. 18 in an intermediate operative position;

FIG. 20 is a lateral view of a portion of a fifth embodiment of thesystem of FIGS. 18 and 19 in a second operative position;

FIG. 21 is a first variant applicable to all embodiments of the systemof the invention of FIGS. 1-20;

FIG. 22 is a second variant applicable to all embodiments of the systemof the invention of FIGS. 1-21;

FIG. 23 is a third variant applicable to all embodiments of the systemof the invention of FIGS. 1-22;

FIG. 24 is a lateral view of a sixth embodiment of the system of theinvention;

FIG. 25 is a lateral view of a variant of the sixth embodiment of FIG.24; and

FIG. 26 is a lateral view of a second variant of the sixth embodiment ofFIGS. 24 and 25.

FIG. 1 shows a base station or charging cradle and a handheld codeoptical information reader 102, forming a system 1. The opticalinformation reader 102—reader for short in the following—is used to readan optical code, not depicted in the appended drawings. Differentembodiments of the system 1 will be detailed with reference to theadditional appended figures.

In some implementations, the cradle 100 may also include at least onewired or wireless communication interface that facilitates communicationwith the reader 102. Communication may occur by way of the contacts (notdepicted), but may also occur via infrared, via radio and in othermodes, in which case the cradle 100 houses a receiving, transmitting ortransceiving antenna, or receiving, transmitting or transceiver device,corresponding devices being provided in the reader 102. The cradle 100may in such a case act as a raw or processed data collector, such databeing related to the optical information detected by the reader 102. Thecradle 100 may in such a case provide for a memory for such information,processing and/or decoding electronics of the same and/or acommunication interface with a remote processor-based device.Additionally, the communication with the remote processor may occur viacable, not depicted, or via infrared, via radio or, in other modes,corresponding devices may be provided for in the cradle 100.

By way of the communication interface(s), the cradle 100 may sendconfiguration parameters to the reader 102, set via a user interface(also not shown) of the cradle 100 itself, or may forward configurationparameters of the reader set in a remote processor-based device.

The user interface, known per se, may also include one or more acousticand/or luminous indicator devices, such as a buzzer, speaker, LED and/ora display, signaling that charging is underway, that acquisition isunderway, that data transmission is underway, diagnostics and the like.The user interface may also include one or more push buttons or otherinput devices for enabling or disabling such acoustic and/or luminousindicator devices, or for implementing other functionality.

The reader 102 may house pre-processing electronics of the photodetectoroutput signal, electronics for code acquisition and possibly fordecoding the optical code, one or more memories, as well as acommunication interface for transferring the electrical signal output bya photodetector or the acquired optical code or also the decoded opticalcode, as well as for receiving setting commands and possiblyremote-activation commands. The communication may occur by means of anelectrical interface, or via radio, via infrared or other corded orcordless type communication interface.

The communication interface of the reader 102 may be coupled with thesuitable communication interface of the cradle 100, or it may bedirectly coupled, optionally in wireless mode, with an interface of aremote processor-based device.

The reader 102 may, alternatively or additionally, read and/or writeradio frequency identification (RFID) tags or transponders viaradiofrequency. In such a case, the reader 102 includes a subsystem forgenerating an electromagnetic/electric field at an excitation frequencyfor an RFID transponder and a receiving, transmitting or transceivingantenna for receiving and/or transmitting a signal containing a codestored in an RFID tag. When implemented as an RFID reader, the reader102 may also include processing and/or decoding electronics of suchsignal and possibly one or more memories, as well as a communicationinterface, analogous to the optical code reader.

In all the illustrated embodiments, the reader 102 is gun-shaped andincludes a first portion, for example comprising a reading head 104,which for example may include a light input/output window 106 (onlyslightly visible in FIG. 2), and a second portion connected to thefirst, for example a holdable handle 108 which may be provided with atrigger-type activation push-button 110 and possible other controlpush-buttons (not shown). A longitudinal axis X of the reader can bedefined connecting two axially opposed ends of the reader, e.g. runningfrom the head 104 to the handle 108. Different shapes of the reader 102,not depicted, may be used as well.

In the case of an optical code reader (e.g., one-dimensional or barcodesymbol reader, two dimensional or matrix symbol reader), the readinghead 104 may be provided with the light input and output window 106 andthe reader 102 houses, appropriately arranged preferably in the head104, a light beam emitting source, emitting and receiving optics, and aphotodetector, as well as possible scanning mirrors of the light beamemitted by the light source and/or mirrors for deflecting such lightbeam towards the window 106 and/or for deflecting the light diffused bythe optical code entering from the window 106 onto the photodetector.

Further, the reading head 104 includes a power receiving coil 111 apt tobe charged by a power transmitting coil 101 in a wireless manner. Powerreceiving coil 111 is preferably extending substantially perpendicularto the longitudinal axis X of the reader 102. Transmitter and powerreceiving coils are not visible from the outside of cradle 100 andreader 102, however in FIG. 1 they are shown for clarity reasons inorder to depict their relative positioning.

In a first embodiment of the system 1 depicted in FIGS. 2-4, the cradle100 includes a base part or base portion 112 defining a first seat 116.First seat 116 has a bottom surface 117 which is surrounded by walls114. Among the walls 114 surrounding the first seat 116, a movable wall118 is present, which is disposed upright and forms an angle with thebottom surface 117. Movable wall 118 houses power transmitting coil 101used to recharge power receiving coil 111 housed in the head 104 of thereader 102 in a manner known in the art and not further described below.The power transmitting coil 101 may be located within the movable wall118, or attached to any surface of the same. The geometry of the firstseat 116 is such that it can house a portion of the reading head 104,that is, the geometry of the first seat 116 is such that the walls 114and 118 surrounds the head 104 when the reader is positioned on thecradle 100. A portion of the head 104 can thus be inserted in the firstseat 116.

Although in the depicted embodiments the cradle of system 1 is arrangedhorizontally, that is, base part 112 as well as bottom surface 117 aresubstantially horizontal, the cradle can be oriented vertically orinclined with respect to a horizontal or vertical plane.

In detail, the movable wall 118 is movable from a first positiondepicted in FIG. 2, when the reader 102 is away from the cradle 100, toa second position depicted in FIG. 3 held when the reader 102 ispositioned on the cradle.

In the first position of FIG. 2, the movable wall 118, which ispreferably hinged onto the base part 112, forms an angle α with a planeP passing through the bottom 117 of the first seat which is preferablyobtuse (see FIG. 2—the plane P is parallel to the bottom surface 117).In FIG. 2 plane Q is a plane defined by the movable wall 118. In thisway, the insertion of the head 104 of the reader 102 into the first seat116 is not hindered by the presence of the movable wall 118.

When the reader 102, i.e. the reading head 104, is inserted in the firstseat 116, the movable wall 118 rotates around an axis, till it abutsagainst a surface of head 104, reaching the second operative position.The new angle β formed between the movable wall 118 (plane Q) and theplane P is smaller than the angle α which was formed between planes Pand Q in the first position. The axis around which the movable wall 118rotates is preferably parallel to the bottom surface 117 of the firstseat 116. The new angle β can be for example an acute angle. In thissecond position, as depicted in FIG. 3, the movable wall 118 whichincludes power transmitting coil 101, becomes closer to and betteraligned with power receiving coil 111 located within head 104. Further,the geometry of the first seat 116 changes, the entrance of the firstseat being now less wide than in the first position due to the movementof the wall towards the reader. The movable wall 118 substantiallyexerts a gripping force onto the reader 102.

Movable wall 118 may be hinged onto base portion 112 or base portion andmovable wall may be connected by means of a rubber lip (not visible inthe drawings).

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, movable wall 118 includes at least a magnet120, for example two magnets (both indicated with 120). The first andsecond magnets 120 could be located in a periphery of the movable wall118, for example close to an external rim of the movable wall 118.

The reader 102, in particular at its head 104, includes a metal piece119 so that, when the reader 102 is positioned partially in the firstseat 116, the magnetic attraction of magnets 120 and metal piece 119moves the movable walls forwards from the first position of FIG. 2 tothe second position of FIGS. 3 and 4.

Preferably, the cradle 100 includes at least a spring, preferably twosprings, both indicated with 121. Springs 121 preferably connects themovable wall 118 with the base portion 112 and bias the movable wall 118towards its first position. In other words, springs 121 force the wall118 to go back to its first operative position of FIG. 2 as soon as thereader 102 is removed from the cradle 100. The removal of the readerfrom the cradle 100 pushes the movable wall 118 towards the firstoperative position and this movement is facilitated by the springs'action.

In use, when the reader 102 is not docketed in the cradle, for examplebecause it is used to read optical information, the cradle 100 andmovable wall 118 are in the position of FIG. 2, where the movable wall118 forms an obtuse angle α with the bottom surface 117 of the seat 116and insertion of the reader 102 into the seat 116 is facilitated. Whenthe reader 102 does not need to be used any more to read opticalinformation, it is docketed in the cradle 100, inserting a portion ofthe head 104 into the first seat 116. The insertion causes proximitybetween magnets 120 and metal element 119 so that the movable wall 118moves forward the reader 102, reaching the second position of FIGS. 3and 4. The movement is a rotation around an axis. The power receivingand power transmitting coils 111, 101—after the described movement—arealigned and a proper wireless charging can take place.

As soon as the reader 102 is removed from the cradle 100, the movablewall 118 is pushed away due to the extraction of the reader 102 from theseat 116 and the movable wall 118, thanks to the bias of springs 121,returns to the first position of FIG. 2.

In a second embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, a different embodiment ofcradle 200 is disclosed. Elements identical to those described in theprevious embodiment are referred to with the same numerals.

The cradle 200 includes the fixed base part 112 and a base plate 202.The base plate 202 defines a first and a second end 208, 209. The firstend 208 includes first seat 116 formed as a recess suitable to receivethe head 104 of the reader 102, for example to receive in abutment thehead 104 of the reader 102. At the second end 209 opposite the first end208, the base plate 202 includes a second seat, formed also as a recess216, suitable to receive a second part of the reader, for example aterminal portion 126 of the handle 108 of the reader 102. The first seat116 and the second seat 216 form a housing for the reader 102.

The lower portion 126 of the handle 108 of the reader 102 is so shapedto be inserted in the second seat 216 of the base plate 202 of thecradle 200, and the head 104 is so shaped to be inserted in the firstseat 116 of the base plate 202 of the cradle 200. Due to the curvedshape of the base plate 202 of the cradle 200 and/or to the gun shape ofthe reader 102, when the reader 102 is inserted in the first and secondseat 116, 216 of the cradle 200, the handle 108 is spaced for a portionfrom the base plate 202 of the cradle 200 and is therefore easy to grip.

Movable wall 118 housing power transmitting coil 101 is rotatablyattached to the fixed base part 112 of the cradle 200. The wall mayrotate around axis 201 which is preferably parallel to a plane on whichthe cradle is positioned. The axis 201 is located in the fixed base partof cradle 200. The rotation movements are depicted with an arrow 206 inFIGS. 5 and 6. Although the movable wall 118 is separated from the seat116 (the first seat is positioned on the base plate, the movable wall onthe fixed base part 112), it still forms part of the same, because themovable wall 118 together with the rest of first seat 116 defines thehousing for the first portion 104 of the reader, in particular in thesecond operative position of the movable wall, where the movable walldefines a confined geometry for the reader touching the head 104 and“closing” the entrance to the first seat 116.

Cradle 200 further includes a spring 205 connected to the movable wall118 and preferably centered onto the rotational axis 201. The rotationof the movable wall 118 around rotatable axis 201 causes loading orunloading of the spring 205. When the movable wall 118 is in the firstoperative position (reader 102 not in the cradle) as depicted in FIG. 5,the spring 205 is unloaded. When the rotatable wall 118 moves to thesecond operative position, where the reader 102 is positioned on thebase plate 202 of the cradle 200, as depicted in FIG. 6, the rotationalmovement loads the spring 205. The spring 205 therefore applies a forceto the movable wall to pull it back towards the first operativeposition.

The base plate 202 is movable from a first unloaded position depicted inFIG. 5 held when the reader 102 is not on the base plate 202, to asecond loaded position depicted in FIG. 6 held when the reader 102 ispositioned on the cradle 200. The base plate 202 can move from the firstto the second position due to the force applied by the reader 102 on it(the weight of the reader is the force) when positioned on the baseplate 202. The base plate 202 due to the weight of the reader 102shifts. The shift can be for example a downwards shift. The shift can bea linear movement. In case of a horizontally arranged cradle 200 asdepicted in the drawings 5 or 6, the shift of the base plate is avertical shift. However, in case the cradle is positioned differently,such as vertically or tilted, the shift can be also along a differentaxis, such as vertical.

The base plate 202 is connected to a slidable element 203, for example ashaft sliding within a hollow seat, which is in turn connected to anactuator 204. The actuator is connected to spring 205 connected tomovable wall 118. The actuator 204 transforms the linear movement of theslidable element 203 into a rotational movement of the movable wall 118.That is to say, the slidable element 203 in its movements 204—forced bythe movements of the base plate 202—moves the actuator 204 which rotatesthe movable wall 118. The positions of the movable wall and of the baseplate, and thus of the slidable element, are connected to each other.The movement of one of these elements triggers the movements of theothers.

When the base plate 202 is in the first unloaded position of FIG. 5, theslidable element 203 is also in a first unloaded position and themovable wall 118 is in the first operative position. The docking of thereader 102 into the cradle 200, inserting a part of the head 104 in thefirst seat 116 as well as the end of the handle 108 in the second seat216 triggers the movement of the base plate 202 shifting linearly andmoving the slidable element 203 to the loaded position. This in turnactivates actuator 204 which rotates spring 205 and thus in turn alsothe movable wall 118 rotates to the second operative position (see FIG.6).

Power receiving coil 111 positioned in the head 104 is thus aligned withthe power transmitting coil 101 positioned in the movable wall 118.

In this second position, spring 205 is compressed, so that, when thereader 102 is removed from base plate 202, the movable wall returns toits first operative position. Base plate 202 also returns to theelevated position.

As described with reference to the first embodiment of cradle 100, inthe first position of the movable wall in FIG. 5, the angle (not shown)formed between the movable wall 118 and the bottom surface 117 (notvisible in FIGS. 5 and 6) of the first seat 116 is wider than the angleformed between the movable wall 118 and the bottom surface 117 in thesecond position of the movable wall. In this second position, thegeometry of the seat is modified and the movable wall 118 “closes” theentrance of the first seat 116 abutting onto the head 104.

The presence of the second seat 216 is preferred in particular when thecradle 200 is positioned vertically or inclined with respect to ahorizontal plane.

With now reference to FIGS. 7a and 7b , a variant of the system isshown. The system 1 includes an external actuator, such as lever 223,which operates on slidable element 203. Lever 223 may be hinged to thefixed base part 112 of the cradle 200 and is rotatable around an axis.The lever 223 enhances the effect of the weight of the reader 102 sothat the movable wall 118 can be easily moved also in case the cradle isnot positioned horizontally. The lever may be rotated in differentpositions (see FIGS. 7a and 7b where the lever is in two differentpositions) and can be operated by a user by hand. The configuration of 7a is the one preferred when the cradle is horizontal, while theconfiguration of FIG. 7b is preferred when the cradle is substantiallyvertical. In the latter case, a “weak” force generates a relevant shiftand then rotation.

In the second variant of the second embodiment depicted in FIG. 8, thecradle 200 includes a second movable wall 222. The second movable wall222 preferably does not contain a coil. The second movable wall 222 isone of the walls of the second seat 216. The second movable wall 222, asthe first movable wall 118, may be moved from a first position in whichis away from the reader 102 and forms an angle with the bottom surfaceof the second seat 216, position held when the reader is not positionedon the cradle, to a second operative position when the reader 102 ispositioned in the cradle 200. In the second position, the second movablewall 222 is in abutment to the handle 108 of the reader. The movementfrom the first to the second position of the second movable wall 222modifies the geometry of the second seat 216. In FIG. 8, only the secondposition of the second movable wall is depicted.

In its movement, the second movable wall 222 rotates around an axis 213,for example parallel to the rotatable axis 201 of the first movable wall118.

The second movable wall 222 returns in the first operative position whenthe reader 102 is removed from the base plate 202, and the handle 108 isremoved from the second seat 216.

The base plate 202 is—as already described—connected to slidable element203, which is in turn connected to first actuator 204 and in this casealso to a second actuator 211. The actuators 204, 211 transform thelinear movement of the slidable element 203 into rotational movements ofthe movable wall 118 and of the second movable wall 222. That is to say,the slidable element 203 in its movement moves the actuators 204, 211which rotate the movable walls 118, 222. When the base plate 202 is inthe first unloaded position (no reader on the base plate), the slidableelement 203 is also in a first unloaded position and the movable walls118, 222 are in their respective first operative positions. When thebase plate is shifted into the second loaded position, the slidableelement is also in the second loaded position and the movable walls 118,222 are moved in the second operative position.

Cradle 200 further includes a spring 212 connected to the second movablewall 222 and preferably centered onto the rotational axis 213. Therotation of the second movable wall 222 around rotatable axis 213 causesloading of the spring 212. When the second movable wall 222 is in thefirst operative position (reader 102 not in the cradle), the spring 212is unloaded. When the second movable wall 222 moves to the secondoperative position, because the reader is positioned on the base plate202 of the cradle 200, the movement loads the spring 213. The springtherefore applies a force to the second movable wall 222 to pull it backtowards the first operative position.

The movements of the first and second movable walls 118, 222 from thefirst to the second position, and vice-versa, take place at the sametime as soon as the reader 102 is docketed/removed from the cradle 200,due to the shift of the base plate 202.

In a third embodiment of the invention, depicted with reference to FIGS.9 and 10, the system includes cradle indicated with 300.

The cradle 300 includes a base part or portion 112 defining a first seat116. First seat 116 has a bottom surface 117 which is surrounded bywalls 114. Among the walls 114 surrounding the first seat 116, a movablewall 118 is present, which is disposed upright and forms an angle withthe bottom surface 117. This angle is preferably fixed Movable wall 118houses power transmitting coil 101 used to recharge power receiving coil111 housed in the head 104 of the reader 102 in a manner known in theart and not further described below. The power transmitting coil 101 maybe located within the movable wall 118, or attached to any surface ofthe same. The geometry of the first seat 116 is such that it can house aportion of the reading head 104, that is, the geometry of the first seat116 is such that the walls 114 and 118 surrounds the head 104 when thereader 102 is positioned on the cradle 300.

In detail, the movable wall 118 is movable from a first positiondepicted in FIG. 9, when the reader 102 is away from the cradle 300, toa second position depicted in FIG. 10 held when the reader 102 ispositioned on the cradle 300.

In the first position of FIG. 9, the movable wall 118 delimits the firstseat 116 so that the latter has a certain length L. This length is wideenough to allow an easy insertion of a portion of the head 104 of thereader 102 in the first seat 116.

When the reader 102, i.e. the reading head 104, is inserted in the firstseat 116, the movable wall 118 translates on the bottom surface 117 ofthe first seat 116 reducing the length of the same to a length L′<L (seeFIG. 10) and entering in abutment to the head 104 of the reader 102. Inthis second position, as depicted in FIG. 10, the movable wall 118 whichincludes power transmitting coil 101, becomes closer and better alignedwith power receiving coil 111 located within head 104. Further, thegeometry of the first seat 116 changes, because the wall 118 reduces thesize of the first seat itself.

In order to obtain the translation of the movable wall 118, the firstseat 116 includes an actuating element 301, such as a wheel in thedepicted embodiment, connected to a spring 302. The wheel 301 ispositioned at the boundaries of first seat 116, at one of the walls 114,and is apt to slightly move if pushed towards the wall 114. More indetail, a recess 304 is formed in the wall 114 where the wheel can enterif pushed. If partially entering in the recess 304, the wheel compressesspring 304 which exerts a force towards the wheel to push the latteragain out in the first seat 116. The spring 302 is connected to aslidable element 305, which is in turn connected to movable wall 118.The slidable element 305 is brought into sliding by the compression ofthe spring 302 and it brings the movable wall 118 into translationtowards the head 104 of the reader 102.

When reader is not inserted in the first seat 116, the spring 302 is inan unloaded position, the slidable element 305 is also in a firstunloaded position and the movable wall 118 is in the first operativeposition of FIG. 9. The first seat 116 has its widest length L. When thereader 102 is inserted into the first seat 116, the wheel 301 is pushedin the recess 304 and the spring 302 is compressed. The slidable element305 is shifted into the second loaded position, moving by translationthe movable wall 118 in the second operative position shown in FIG. 10.

In this second position, the head 104 is compressed and retained by thecombined action of the presence of the movable wall 118 on one side andthe spring 302 and the wheel 301 on the other side. The wheel is forcedagainst the head 104 by the elastic force of the spring 302, restrainingthe same. This allows the positioning of the cradle also with a verticalor inclined orientation.

In a variant of the third embodiment depicted in FIG. 11, the cradle 300includes second seat 216 and a second movable wall 222. The second seat216 is apt to house partially a portion of the handle 108. The secondmovable wall 222 preferably does not contain a coil. The second movablewall 222, as the first movable wall 118, may be moved from a firstposition in which is away from the second seat, e.g. the entrance of thesecond seat is broad, position held when the reader is not positioned onthe cradle, to a second operative position when the reader 102 ispositioned in the cradle 300. In the second position, the second movablewall 222 is in abutment to the handle 108 of the reader. The movementfrom the first to the second position of the second movable wall 222modifies the geometry of the second seat 216.

The second movable wall 222 is preferably rotated around an axis 223.The mechanism that triggers this rotation can be any, as long as thesecond movable wall is in the first position depicted as a dashed linein FIG. 11 when the reader is not in the cradle 300 to the secondposition depicted as a solid line in FIG. 11 when the reader is in thecradle and inserted in the first and second seat.

The rotation may take place due to an actuator present in the secondseat which compresses a spring or by any other means.

The movements of the first and second movable walls from the first tothe second position, and vice-versa, take place at the same time as soonas the reader is docketed/removed from the cradle 300.

In a fourth embodiment depicted in FIGS. 12-14, system 1 includes aforth embodiment of cradle 400.

The cradle 400 includes a proximity sensor 401 apt to detect when thereader 102 is approaching the cradle 401. The proximity sensor 401 maybe a Hall Effect sensor, an optical sensor, a micro switch; it may beinductive, capacitive, magnetic, etc. The sensor 401 is capable ofemitting a signal when an object, such as the reader, is getting closer,i.e. the distance between the object and the cradle 400 is below a giventhreshold, to the cradle 400.

The cradle 400 includes a base part or portion 112 defining a first seat116. First seat 116 has a bottom surface 117 which is surrounded bywalls 114. Among the walls 114 surrounding the first seat 116, movablewall 118 is present, which is disposed upright and forms an angle withthe base part. Wall 118 houses power transmitting coil 101 used torecharge power receiving coil 111 of the reader in a manner known in theart and not further described below. The power transmitting coil 101 maybe located within the movable wall 118, or attached to any surface ofthe same. The geometry of the first seat 116 is such that it can house aportion of the reading head 104, that is, the geometry of the first seat116 is such that the walls 114 and 118 surrounds the head 104 when thereader is positioned on the cradle 400.

In detail, the movable wall 118 is movable from a first positiondepicted in FIG. 13, when the reader 102 is away from the cradle 400, toa second position depicted in FIGS. 12 and 14 held when the reader 102is positioned on the cradle. The motion is a rotation along an axis 410.The axis 410 may be parallel to the bottom surface 117.

The movable wall 118 defines a first and a second axially opposed end18, 19. The first end 18 is positioned within the base portion 112,while the second end 19 extends away from the base portion 112. Thesecond end 19 is fixed to a plate 403 which forms an angle of about 90°with the movable wall 118. However, any other angle is possible. Therotation axis 410 of the movable wall 118 around which the movable wall118 rotates to pass from the first to the second operative position andvice-versa coincides with the connecting point between the movable wall118 and the plate 403. The plate 403 extends within the base portion112, for example below the bottom surface 117 of the first seat 116.Movable wall 118 and plate 403 forms an L-shaped element rotatablearound axis 410 where the two arms of the L join. The rotations andmovements of the L-shaped element correspond to the rotations andmovements of the movable wall 118.

Further, the cradle 400 includes an electro-mechanic actuator 405, forexample an electro-magnet, an electric-motor, a step linear motor, etc.which may have an effect onto the L-shaped element. For example, in thedepicted embodiment of FIGS. 12-14, the electro-mechanical actuator isan electromagnet and the cradle 400 further includes a metallic element406 positioned on the plate 403. The respective positioning of themetallic element 406 on plate 403 and of the electro-mechanic actuator405 is such that, when the electro-magnet is charged, the magnetic forceis capable to act onto the metallic element 406 and to attract the same.

Electro-mechanical actuator 405 is apt to receive signals from proximitysensors 401.

Further, the cradle 400 includes also second seat 216 to partially housea portion of the handle 108 of the reader 102.

In addition, cradle 400 includes a spring 407 connecting the second end19 of the movable wall 118 with base portion 112 of the cradle 400. Thespring 407 has a first stable position when the movable wall 118 is inthe first operative position and a second stable position when themovable wall is in second operative position. This situation is depictedin FIG. 17. With stable position, it is intended a position towardswhich the spring 407 tends to return as long as it is moved from thesame. Being the spring connected to the movable wall 118, the movablewall 118 is subjected to the spring reactions in its movement. Movementof the walls causes movement of the spring. In the movement from thefirst to the second position, or vice-versa, the spring 407, whichfollows movement of the movable wall, is moved from its stable position.The trajectory of the second end 19 of the movable wall is substantiallyan arc of circumference. Along this trajectory, the spring 407 is not ina stable position. Up to a certain angle in the trajectory, the springtends to pull the movable wall back to its first operative position.After a certain angle, the closest stable position becomes the secondoperative position of the movable wall 118 and thus the spring 407pushes the movable wall towards the second operative position.

When the reader 102 is not in the cradle 400, the cradle is in theposition of FIG. 13, where the movable wall 118 forms an angle of 90° ormore with the bottom surface 117 of the first seat 116. Theelectro-magnet 405 is relatively far from the metallic element 406. Thespring 407 is in one of the two stable positions of FIG. 17, keeping themovable wall 118 in the first operative position.

When the reader 102 is leant onto the cradle 400, the proximity sensor401 activates the electro-magnet 405 by energizing it. The magneticforce attracts the metallic element 406 of the plate 403 that generatesthe rotation of the movable wall 118. At a certain moment, the pullingforce is able to overcome the spring 407 force that keeps the movablewall 118 in the first operative position and it makes the spring 507rotates forming the circumference arc trajectory of FIG. 17, togetherwith the movable wall 118. Once the spring 407 has reached the secondstable position, which corresponds to the second operative position ofthe movable wall 118, where the movable wall 118 is in abutment to thehead 104 of the reader 102, the electro-magnet 405 is de-energized andthe spring 407 itself pushes the movable wall against the reader head104. In this position, power transmitting and power receiving coils 101,111 are aligned and a better power transmission is possible.

To undock the reader 102, its extraction stroke causes the spring 407 toovercome the force keeping it in the second stable position and torotate, together with the movable wall, back to its first restingposition (see again FIG. 17).

In a first and second variant of the cradle 400, depicted in FIGS. 15and 16, the second end 19 of the movable wall 118 includes a hookelement 408 to better anchor the head 104 of the reader in place, whenthe movable wall is in the second operative position. The hook element408 may have a round shape, or may have an edge adapted to be insertedin a corresponding indent, recess or groove 409 formed on the head ofthe reader 102 (see variant of FIG. 16). This configuration allows abetter stability of the reader 102 onto the cradle 400 in case of avertical or tilted positioning of the cradle 400.

The hook element 408 may be used in any movable wall 118 of thepreviously depicted embodiments of the cradle (100, 200, 300) as well.

In FIGS. 19-21, a further embodiment of system 1 including cradle 500 isdepicted. A different mechanism to move the movable wall 118 or thesecond movable wall 222 from the first to the second operativeposition—and vice-versa—is shown. The FIGS. 19-21 show the movements ofthe second movable wall 222 in the second seat 216, however the samemechanism can be applied as well for the movement of the movable wall118 in the first seat 116.

The movement of the second movable wall 222 is a rotation around a givenaxis 510 located on the base portion 112 of the cradle 500. The rotationis caused by the weight of the portion of the handle 108 of the reader102 entering in the second seat 216. Alternatively or in addition, therotation is triggered by a magnet which attracts the movable wall 222towards the reader 102. As soon as the rotation has taken place from thefirst to the second position, the movable wall 222 remains in contact tothe handle 108 due to a spring 501 action. The action of the spring 501onto movable wall 222 is identical to the action of spring depicted inFIG. 17 of cradle 400 of FIGS. 12-14.

The second movable wall 222 includes a lever 504, which is used forblocking and ejecting the reader 102 from second seat 222, having afirst and a second distal ends, each end each including a roller, calledfirst and second roller 502, 505. The roller 502 in the first end hasthe function of an actuator and, in the first operative position (FIG.18) of the second movable wall 222, it is positioned in the second seat216. Further, movable wall 222 includes a plate 509 hinged to the basepart 112 of cradle 500. The hinge defines rotation axis 510 of themovable wall 222. Plate 509 may include one or more magnets 512. Plate509 and lever 504 are kept together by spring 501 which is deformed dueto the relative movement of plate 509 and lever 504. Spring 501therefore is connected to plate 509 and lever 504.

When the last part of the handle 108 of the reader 102 is inserted intothe second seat 216, the insertion movement depicted in FIG. 19 with anarrow causes both a rotation of the plate 509, for example by means ofmagnet 512 and a metal part 513 positioned in the reader 102, and arotation of the blocking/ejection lever 504. The rotation of the lever504 takes place as follows. The operation of the lever is substantiallythe functioning of a snap in element. The lower roller 502 present inthe second seat 216 is pushed from its original position, due to thereader insertion in the original seat. The movement of the roller 502causes the movement of the whole lever 504 which rotates.

Movements of the lever 504 and plate 509 cause a movement of the spring501.

As described with reference to embodiment of cradle 400, the spring 501at the beginning keeps the movable wall 222 at the first operativeposition because it is one of its stable positions. As soon as the forcepulling the movable wall 222 away from such position is strong enough,the spring overcomes the resistance in its circumference arc trajectory(FIG. 17) and reaches the second stable position. In this secondposition, the upper roller 505 blocks the reader 102 (FIG. 20), beingpushed against the reader 102 by the spring 501, as well as by themagnetic attraction of the magnet/metallic element 512, 513 providing itfurther stability mainly in vertical or tilted usages of the system 1.

The reader 102 undocking causes the back rotation of the upper roller505 until the spring 501 overcomes back the resistance in itstrajectory. The lower roller 502 is pushed inside the second seat 216pressing against the lower part of handle 108 and therefore the handle108 is pushed out of the second seat 216.

The length of the lever 504 generates a relatively high ejection torque.

In all depicted embodiments of system 1, including cradle 100, 200, 300,400, 500, the cradle and/or the reader 102 may include additionalelements.

The first and/or second seat 116, 216 may also be provided with aretaining mechanism, all indicated with 601, shown in FIG. 21, forexample one or more lugs or magnets suitable to engage in grooves orattract a ferromagnetic element (not depicted in the drawings)positioned in the reader 102.

This increases the stability of the reader 102 when inserted in thecradle 100-500.

Further (see FIG. 22), a snap in element 701 may be inserted in thefirst and or the second seat 116, 216. The snap in element, which mayinclude a spring and a lever (not depicted) having an action similar tothe spring 501 and lever 504 of movable wall 222 of the embodiments ofFIGS. 18-20 where the lower roller connected to spring “snaps” the wall222 towards the reader 102 when the reader is inserted in the seat 116,216. In the same way, the snap in element “snaps” the wall 118, 222 awayfrom the reader 102 when the reader is extracted from the first orsecond seat 116, 216.

In the first seat 116, besides the movable wall 118 including the powerreceiving coil 111, a further movable wall 702 may be present, which ismoved from a first to a second operative position using an elementanalog to the snap in element described above. The movement between thefirst to the second operative position is triggered by the insertion ofthe head 104 into seat 116.

Further, as depicted in FIG. 23, cradle 100-500 may include one or moreproximity sensors, which may include a Hall sensor, an optical sensor, amicro switch, it may be an inductive sensor, magnetic sensor or acombination thereof, fixed on the base part 112 of the cradle 100-500.In the depicted embodiment, three sensors are present, a first sensor801 located in the first seat 116, a second sensor 802 located in thesecond seat 216 and a third sensor 803 located in a position in betweenthe two seats, below the handle 108. The handle 108 and the third sensor803 do not touch, while in the first and second seat 116, 216 the firstand second sensors 801, 802 touch the reader 102. Preferably, the thirdsensor is a capacitive sensor. Each sensor is activated only if there isa close proximity between the reader or the hand of the user and thesensor itself. For example, the third sensor in order to be activated,due to the relatively wide space present between the cradle and thereader, needs the presence of the hand grapping the handle.

The functioning of the cradle of FIG. 23 is as follows. The first,second and third sensors 801, 802, 803 may be activated all at the sametime, or only some of them may be activated. Depending on the number andwhich one of the sensors is activated, the following situations mayarise.

All the sensors 801-803 are “off”, that is, none of them detects thepresence of an object. This situation takes place when the reader 102 isnot docketed.

Only one of the three sensors 81-83 is “on” (that is, it detects thepresence of an object): it means that the reader 102 is not properlyplaced onto the cradle (for example there is not a correct insertion ofhead 104 or end part of handle 108 in the first or second seat 116,216).

The sensor 801 in the first seat 116 and the second sensor 802 in thesecond seat 216 are both “on”, that is, they detect the presence of anobject, while the third sensor 803 is off. This means that the reader isproperly docketed on the cradle.

All sensors are “on”: this means that the reader is going to be removedfrom the cradle: the presence of the hand of the user on the handle ofthe reader has been detected.

In FIGS. 24-26, a sixth embodiment of the invention is depicted. Thefigures depict three variants of the sixth embodiment of system 1. Thesystem 1 includes cradle 900 and the reader 102. Reader 102 is the sameas the reader of embodiments 1-5 of cradles 100-500, therefore referenceis made to the previously described embodiments when the elements arethe same.

Cradle 900 includes a base part or portion 112 and a base plate 901movable with respect to the base part 112. The base plate 901 istray-shaped and includes a first seat 116 to house the head 104 ofreader 102. Preferably, the base plate 901 also includes a second seat216 for housing an end portion of the handle 108.

From the base part 112, a wall 918 housing the power transmitting coil101 extends. The extension of the wall 918 is substantiallyperpendicular to the base part 112 or forming a small angle with respectto the perpendicular axis. The power transmitting coil 101 may belocated within the wall 918, or attached to any surface of the same.

First seat 116 has a bottom surface 117 which is surrounded by walls114. The geometry of the first seat 116 is such that it can house aportion of the reading head 104, that is, the geometry of the first seat116 is such that the walls 114 surrounds the head 104 when the reader ispositioned on the cradle 900.

Further, the relative position of the first seat 116 and the wall 918 issuch that the wall 918 is positioned at a boundary of the first seat,forming substantially a geometrical continuation of the lateral walls114 of the first seat 116.

Although in the depicted embodiments the cradle 900 is arrangedhorizontally, that is, base part 112 as well as bottom surface 117 aresubstantially horizontal, the cradle 900 may be oriented vertically orinclined with respect to a horizontal or vertical plane.

In detail, the base plate 901 is movable from a first position (notdepicted in figures), when the reader 102 is away from the cradle 900,to a second position depicted in FIGS. 24-26 held when the reader 102 ispositioned on the cradle 900.

The movement of the base plate 901 is caused by the weight of the reader102 when position on the cradle 900. In all variants of FIGS. 24-26, thecradle 900 further comprises a biasing element 902 which pushes the baseplate 901 back in the first position when the base plate 901 is in thesecond position and the reader 102 is removed from the cradle 900. Inother words, the biasing element 902 acts with a biasing force onto thebase plate 901 so that, as soon as the weight of the reader 102 isremoved from the cradle 900, the base plate 901 moves back to the firstposition.

The movement from the first to the second position is either atranslation or a rotation or a combination of the two(roto-translation).

In the second position, the reader 102—positioned on the base plate901—is moved with respect to the original first position due to itsweight. The reader therefore in the movement of the base plate changesposition with respect to the wall 918 housing the power transmittingcoil 101. The system 1 is so designed that the end configuration, thatis, the second position of the base plate 901, is such that a goodalignment between the power receiving and power transmitting coil 111,101 is obtained.

In the variant of FIG. 24, the movement from the first to the secondposition of the base plate 901 is a rotation around an axis 904. Thelocation of the axis of rotation is on the base part 112 at the secondseat 216. Therefore the base plate including first and second seatsrotates around axis 904. In the first position, the base plate 901 formsan angle γ (not depicted in the drawings) with a plane P passing throughthe bottom 917 of the cradle. When the reader is positioned on the baseplate 901, the base plate rotates around axis 904 due to the weight ofthe reader and forms a smaller angle δ (with δ<γ) with plane P.

The biasing element 902 includes a spring (not shown) positioned at theaxis 904 which is compressed during the rotation.

In a second variant of this embodiment shown in FIG. 25, the movement ofthe base plate 901 is obtained by a four bar linkage mechanism 907, sothat the base plate substantially roto-translate. The principle is as inthe first variant, that is, starting from the first position, as soon asthe reader is positioned on the base plate 901, the base plate 901 movesand reaches the second position, forcing the reader 102 to move as well.The position is reached by substantially a roto-translation of the baseplate. In the second position, the power receiving and powertransmitting coils 111, 101 are aligned. Preferably, the biasing element902 also includes springs (not shown) which, when the reader is removedfrom the cradle 900, spring (not depicted) pushes the base plate 901back in the original position.

In the variant of FIG. 26, the base plate 901 is movable by a slidingmechanism, similar to the sliding element 3203 described with referenceto FIGS. 5-8. Also in this case a spring is preferably present to pushthe base plate back to the first position.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A cradle for wireless power recharging ofan optical information reader including a first portion containing apower receiving coil to be charged, the cradle including: a first seatadapted to partially house the first portion of the optical informationreader, the first seat having a plurality of walls, one of the wallsbeing movable from a first operative position held when the firstportion of the optical information reader is not inserted in the firstseat to a second operative position held when the first portion of theoptical information reader is inserted in the first seat, whereinmovement from the first operative position to the second operativeposition includes a rotation of the movable wall; and a powertransmitting coil located at the movable wall which is adapted totransmit power to the power receiving coil when the optical informationreader is inserted in the first seat and the movable wall is in thesecond operative position.
 2. The cradle according to claim 1, whereinin the second operative position, the movable wall is adapted to be incontact with the first portion of the optical information readerincluding the power receiving coil.
 3. The cradle according to claim 1,wherein in the second operative position, the movable wall is adapted tobe aligned with a part of the first portion of the optical informationreader including the power receiving coil.
 4. The cradle according toclaim 1, wherein the first seat includes a bottom surface to which thefirst portion of the optical information reader is in abutment when theoptical information reader is inserted into the first seat and whereinthe movable wall is rotatable around an axis parallel to the bottomsurface.
 5. The cradle according to claim 1, wherein the movable wall isconnected to a spring mechanism, the spring mechanism being in a firstand second stable configuration in both the first and second operativepositions of the movable wall, the spring mechanism reaching a loadedconfiguration where it is biased to return to the first or second stableconfiguration, the loaded configuration being reached when the springmoves from the first to the second stable configurations, or vice-versa,due to the movable wall change from the first to the second operativeposition, or vice-versa.
 6. The cradle according to claim 1, wherein thecradle includes a second seat to house a second portion of the opticalinformation reader, and wherein the second seat includes a plurality ofwalls, one of the walls of the second seat being movable from a firstoperative position when the second portion of the optical informationreader is not inserted in the second seat to a second operative positionwhen the second portion of the optical information reader is inserted inthe second seat.
 7. The cradle according to claim 1, wherein the cradleincludes a second seat to house a second portion of the opticalinformation reader, and wherein the first and/or second seat includes amagnet or a metallic element and the first and/or second portion of theoptical information reader includes a corresponding metallic element ormagnet.
 8. A cradle for wireless power recharging of an opticalinformation reader including a first portion containing a powerreceiving coil to be charged, the cradle including: a first seat adaptedto partially house the first portion of the optical information reader,the first seat having a plurality of walls, one of the walls beingmovable from a first operative position held when the first portion ofthe optical information reader is not inserted in the first seat to asecond operative position held when the first portion of the opticalinformation reader is inserted in the first seat; and a powertransmitting coil located at the movable wall which is adapted totransmit power to the power receiving coil when the optical informationreader is inserted in the first seat and the movable wall is in thesecond operative position, wherein one of the first portion of theoptical information reader and the movable wall includes a magnet andthe other of the first portion of the optical information reader and themovable wall includes a metal element so that the movement of themovable wall from the first to the second operative position is due tomagnetic attraction.
 9. A cradle for wireless power recharging of anoptical information reader including a first portion containing a powerreceiving coil to be charged, the cradle including: a first seat adaptedto partially house the first portion of the optical information reader,the first seat having a plurality of walls, one of the walls beingmovable from a first operative position held when the first portion ofthe optical information reader is not inserted in the first seat to asecond operative position held when the first portion of the opticalinformation reader is inserted in the first seat; and a powertransmitting coil located at the movable wall which is adapted totransmit power to the power receiving coil when the optical informationreader is inserted in the first seat and the movable wall is in thesecond operative position, wherein the cradle includes a snap in elementconnected to the movable wall, the movement from the first to the secondoperative position of the movable wall being triggered by an actuationof the snap in element.
 10. A cradle for wireless power recharging of anoptical information reader including a first portion containing a powerreceiving coil to be charged, the cradle including: a first seat adaptedto partially house the first portion of the optical information reader,the first seat having a plurality of walls, one of the walls beingmovable from a first operative position held when the first portion ofthe optical information reader is not inserted in the first seat to asecond operative position held when the first portion of the opticalinformation reader is inserted in the first seat; a power transmittingcoil located at the movable wall which is adapted to transmit power tothe power receiving coil when the optical information reader is insertedin the first seat and the movable wall is in the second operativeposition; and a proximity sensor to detect the vicinity of the opticalinformation reader and an electrically driven actuator connected to themovable wall, the proximity sensor being apt to send signals to theelectrically driven actuator to initiate the movement of the movablewall from the first to the second operative position when the opticalinformation reader approaches the cradle.
 11. A cradle for wirelesspower recharging of an optical information reader including a firstportion containing a power receiving coil to be charged, the cradleincluding: a first seat adapted to partially house the first portion ofthe optical information reader, the first seat having a plurality ofwalls, one of the walls being movable from a first operative positionheld when the first portion of the optical information reader is notinserted in the first seat to a second operative position held when thefirst portion of the optical information reader is inserted in the firstseat; and a power transmitting coil located at the movable wall which isadapted to transmit power to the power receiving coil when the opticalinformation reader is inserted in the first seat and the movable wall isin the second operative position, wherein the movable wall includes ahook element, and the optical information reader includes acorresponding concavity, so that in the second position of the movablewall, the hook is housed in the corresponding concavity to stabilize acoupling between the power transmitting and power receiving coils. 12.The cradle according to claim 11, wherein the cradle includes: a baseplate on which the optical information reader is positioned, the baseplate including the first seat; a slidable element connected to the baseplate so that the slidable element and the base plate move from a firstunloaded position when the optical information reader is not on thecradle to a second loaded position when the optical information readeris on the cradle; and an actuator adapted to rotate or translate themovable wall, the slidable element being connected to the actuator sothat the movable wall and is rotated or translated from the first to thesecond operative position when the slidable element and the base plateare moved from the first unloaded position into the second loadedposition.
 13. A cradle for wireless power recharging of an opticalinformation reader including a first portion containing a powerreceiving coil to be charged, the cradle including: a first seat adaptedto partially house the first portion of the optical information reader,the first seat having a plurality of walls, one of the walls beingmovable from a first operative position held when the first portion ofthe optical information reader is not inserted in the first seat to asecond operative position held when the first portion of the opticalinformation reader is inserted in the first seat; and a powertransmitting coil located at the movable wall which is adapted totransmit power to the power receiving coil when the optical informationreader is inserted in the first seat and the movable wall is in thesecond operative position; and a control system adapted to detect thepresence or absence of the first portion of the optical informationreader in the first seat.
 14. The cradle according to claim 13, whereinthe cradle includes a second seat adapted to partially house a secondportion of the optical information reader, and wherein the controlsystem is adapted to detect the presence or absence of the secondportion of the optical information reader in the second seat.
 15. Acradle for an optical information reader, the optical information readerincluding a first portion comprising a power receiving coil, the cradleincluding: a stationary base part including a wall housing a powertransmitting coil which is adapted to inductively transmit power to thepower receiving coil when the first portion of the optical informationreader is inserted in a first seat; the first seat apt to partiallyhouse the first portion of the optical information reader, the firstseat having a plurality of seat walls; a base plate comprising the firstseat, the base plate being adapted to move with respect to thestationary base part from a first operative position held when theoptical information reader is not inserted in the first seat to a secondoperative position held when the optical information reader is insertedin the seat, the movement from the first to the second operativeposition being caused by the action of the weight of the opticalinformation reader on the base plate; and a biasing element movable froman unloaded position when the optical information reader is not insertedin the first seat to a loaded position when the optical informationreader is inserted in the first seat, and for restoring the base plateto its first operative position when the optical information reader islifted from the first seat, wherein the base plate is rotatablyconnected to the cradle.
 16. The cradle according to claim 15, whereinthe wall housing the power receiving coil is located at a boundary ofthe first seat.
 17. The cradle according to claim 16, wherein the wallhousing the power receiving coil is a geometrical continuation of one ormore seat wall of the first seat.
 18. A system to charge an opticalinformation reader, the system comprising: a cradle for wireless powerrecharging the optical information reader, the cradle including: a firstseat adapted to partially house the first portion of the opticalinformation reader, the first seat having a plurality of walls, one ofthe walls being movable from a first operative position held when thefirst portion of the optical information reader is not inserted in thefirst seat to a second operative position held when the first portion ofthe optical information reader is inserted in the first seat, whereinmovement from the first operative position to the second operativeposition includes a rotation of the movable wall; and a powertransmitting coil located at the movable wall which is adapted totransmit power to the power receiving coil when the optical informationreader is inserted in the first seat and the movable wall is in thesecond operative position; and the optical information reader includingthe first portion to be partially housed in the first seat of thecradle, the first portion including the power receiving coil.
 19. Thesystem according to claim 18, wherein one of the first portion of theoptical information reader and the movable wall includes a magnet andthe other of the first portion of the optical information reader and themovable wall includes a metal element so that the movement of themovable wall from the first to the second operative position is due tomagnetic attraction.
 20. The system of claim 18, wherein the movablewall includes a plate hinged to a base part of the cradle defining arotation of axis of the movable wall.